On Wed, 4 Jan 2006, Ed White
If what you're seeing is brake lamp intensity on the left side and taillamp intensity on the right side, even when the driver isn't applying the brakes, it's mostly because idiot US drivers don't know when to use (and when NOT to use) their rear fog lamp. So, seeing a switch with an indicator light, they turn it on, reasoning "I don't know what this is, but I must've paid for it, so I'm gonna use it! Ahyuck!" Same reasoning gets applied to front fog lamps, which get left in the "on" position all the time. Since the rear fog switch is usually daisychained to the front fog switch, you see lots of German vehicles (plus Jaguars, plus Range Reauvahs, plus last-generation Olds Auroras, plus Volvos and some Saabs) running around with front and rear fogs ablaze full time. Some of these (e.g. Jag, Olds, Reauvah) have *dual* rear fogs, left and right. Looks like the driver's riding the brake.
If what you're seeing is random (sometimes brighter on the left, sometimes on the right), then it's probably just bulb misapplication. There are still European-vehicle dealers (not to mention the aftermarket) selling brbutt-base American-type bulbs such as 1157, 67, 97, etc. where European-type nickelplate-base bulbs such as P21-5W, R5W, R10W etc. are called for. The US-type bulbs cause eventual problems in sockets intended for the European-type bulbs. Also, some European vehicles specify an R10W taillamp bulb, but an R5W (which is considerably dimmer) fits the same socket and looks identical, so misapplication is easy. The reverse of this situation (R5W called for, R10W installed) is equally possible.
The most likely explanation is the rear-fog one.
DS
If Aunt Judy Were Mayor... 3472I wonder about that sign (the one I saw was similar but on the west side, facing the southbound lanes). It's big and professionally made up, but seems...
